The National Security has arrested six Indian nationals in two separate swoops as part of a massive crackdown on illicit gold trading in Ghana.
Three people were arrested during the operations, which were led by National Security Coordinator DCOP Abdul Osman and were carried out in the Ashanti Region’s Adiembra and the Eastern Region’s Anyinam.
The scope and sophistication of the illegal enterprise were demonstrated by the sting operation, which led to the seizure of hundreds of gold bars, thousands of Ghana cedis in cash, and advanced money-counting devices.
The operation, according to authorities, was the result of weeks of intelligence collection and surveillance with the goal of breaking up networks of illegal gold trading activities led by foreigners that have grown to be a growing national security threat.
Speaking to the media about the development at the National Security Secretariat in Accra, Prince Minkah, the Ghana GoldBod’s media relations officer, emphasized the government’s strong commitment to upholding laws pertaining to the trading of gold.
He said the most recent group of foreign nationals arrested after the deadline would face prosecution in line with Ghanaian law, while the first group arrested prior to the deadline of April 30 would be processed for deportation.
This serves as a warning to all foreigners in Ghana. Prince Minkah reaffirmed the Ghana GoldBod’s mandate as the only organization authorized to engage in domestic gold trading activities by stating that local gold trading is the GoldBod’s only reserve.
He clarified that the most recent arrests would act as a powerful warning to others who still disregard the nation’s mining and trading laws.
According to Prince Minkah, the presence of substantial cash, gold bars, and counting apparatus at the time of arrest points to a large-scale, well-planned operation.
“Per the arrest and what we got to know, with them were golds, money counting machines and some cedis as well and these things have been confiscated.”.
Prince Minkah, the Ghana GoldBod’s media relations officer
Ghanaians Participation in Illicit Gold Trade
During his briefing, DCOP Abdul Osman revealed that certain Ghanaians participated in the illicit trade.
In order to avoid paying taxes and hide their activities behind a front of local ownership, he disclosed that the foreign nationals had registered their businesses using Ghanaian identities.
He stated that investigations are underway to find and capture the Ghanaian accomplices in the syndicate.
“These foreigners used the identities of the Ghanaians to register their companies in order to evade taxes and hide their faces”.
DCOP Abdul Osman
The National Security Coordinator reiterated the importance of protecting Ghana’s natural resources and ensuring that all trading activities involving gold are transparent and fully legal.
He gave the public the assurance that his outfit would keep cracking down on all types of illegalities in the mineral sector, working with pertinent organisations like the Ghana GoldBod and the Minerals Commission.
Following the recent enforcement of a regulatory deadline mandating that all foreign nationals engaged in gold trading either regularize their operations or leave the market, GoldBod made its announcement.
The goal of the April 30, 2025, deadline was to stop the growing number of illegal foreign purchases and local gold trading activities, which authorities claim deprive and threaten the official gold economy.
Goldbod’s Mandate
Any foreigner or entity wishing to trade gold in Ghana must now apply through the Ghana GoldBod and conduct business exclusively through its platform, per the new regulatory directive.
The goal of this centralized system is to improve oversight of the gold value chain, especially at the off-take and purchasing levels, and close any gaps.
According to authorities, the most recent arrests show a concerted and determined attempt to restore order to Ghana’s gold industry, which has long been beset by problems with environmental degradation, tax evasion, and smuggling.
It is anticipated that the prosecution of the Indians will establish the government’s determination to regain control of its profitable gold industry and send a strong message to other possible criminals.
The Ghana GoldBod has since reaffirmed its dedication to upholding the integrity of the regional gold trading market and issued a warning that more crackdowns are likely in the weeks ahead.
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